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If I hadn't taken this picture myself, I would say it was staged. Note the wasp's stance
and the weed placed conveniently behind it as if to hold it in place. This type of wasp usually holds it's abdomen and wings more or less parallel to the centerline of it's thorax.
Actually,the picture was shot just milliseconds before the wasp made flight and lived to see another day. I think it had just stopped
by to check up on some of it't ex-good-buddies and was annyoyed by the presence of my camera lens held about six
inches away so it decided to go somewhere else.
Anyway, this is my first attempt at posting a picture so here goes...

Yes, I was a little concerned about the wasp taking the offensive and coming after me, but they don't usually seem to attack unless their nest is disturbed. If I had been a little quicker, I might have got a shot of it partially inside of the pitcher.

Do you think possibly the tail is raised in that picture because it is "hostile" (unhappy with your camera ). Or possibly because it is just about to take off? Or... just my overactive imagination jumping to conclusions?

Alvin, we have all kinds of different looking wasps here in Texas. One of the most fascinating species is the Cicada killer.They are about 3" (9cm) long and certainly live up to their name but I've never heard of one stinging a human.
Trashcan, I personally think the wasp was warning me to back-off and give it some space. I considered thumping it and making it fall into the pitcher but I prefer to let mother nature do things her own way.